


The Duel on Geonosis

by FunFics



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Star Wars Setting, Planet Geonosis (Star Wars), Star Wars: Prequel Trilogy Era, What-If
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-26
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:13:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27207172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FunFics/pseuds/FunFics
Summary: During a battle which ultimately sparked the Clone Wars, Jedi and CIS forces clashed in the notorious Petranaki Arena before a crowd of bloodthirsty spectators. During the clash, Jedi Master Mace Windu found himself at odds with the famed bounty hunter, Jango Fett.Skilled, stoic, nerves of steel - the hardened men shared traits, but only one would walk away from their encounter...
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	The Duel on Geonosis

Chaos had ensued down below the high balcony from which nefarious gathering watched; what was supposed to be the execution of Skywalker, his master Kenobi and political figurehead Padme Amidala, had instead turned into a courageous display of defiance. With impressive resolve and impromptu maneuverability, even Padme had freed herself from her confines amongst her Jedi comrades, killing the starved creature dispatched to tear her into pieces. The Republic representatives defied expectations of the noisy crowd, and though certainly entertaining, they were all ravenous for their immediate and brutal deaths. Watching this display was not only the planet's own Geonosians, but Viceroy Nute Gunray, the prestigious Poggle the Lesser, guest of honor Darth Tyranus, and his personal bodyguard for the event, Jango Fett. 

Accompanied by his son Boba, Fett was happy to watch the barbaric occasion, a subdued smirk forming on his face. Though the captives were not yet maimed, it was only a matter of time - Jango knew first-hand, Jedi were not invincible. He'd had more than his share of skirmishes with many over his storied career, and while some were indeed close, none were able to defeat the legendary bounty hunter. The few that survived such an encounter would inevitably share their experience - knowing that the supposedly mighty Jedi would talk of the Concord Dawn native in a manner of fear, tension, unease? That itself was a reward on par with nearly any amount of credits.

Boba himself watched quite eagerly from the bestowed view he shared with his father. Instilled early on with his parent's disdain for the lot, the young boy felt somewhat privileged to bear witness to such an event. Jango had educated him in the supposed 'peace-keepers' and their misdeeds, their atrocities, their hypocrisies, and he held those teachings dear. His father was many things - a liar was not one of them.

One attendee who was not enjoying the show, was Gunray. He paced back and fourth, his bulging red eyes unblinking in his growing worry and restlessness. Any other prisoners would be bloody messes right now, headed for digestion, or being scooped off the sandy floor in various pieces... And yet, here were all three, making a spectacle of themselves as they sat atop the trained Reek, using the mighty creature as a makeshift mount. The horned beast roared, striding around the massive open space as onlookers cheered with amusement at the shocking display. The Neimoidian failed to share the excitement of Poggle's people.

"This isn't how it's supposed to be!" the cowardly Separatist chairman voiced his complaints, visibly uncomfortable. "Jango, finish her off!" He insisted with urgency. Dressed in his distinguished Mandalorian armor, Fett was ready to draw his pistol at any given notice, but his employer stepped forward.

"Patience, Viceroy, patience." Dooku assured with a smug smile and a gentle hand pressed against Gunray's shoulder, the epitome of both calm and collected. "Amidala will die." 

As if on command, seven Destroyer Droids were dispatched into the oval battleground, swarming the lucky trio who defied their fate numerous times over. They shared tense faces as the new war machines made their presence known, unfurling into upright positions, all surrounding them with dual cannons and ready to fire. They began to close in, circling the senator and her Jedi accomplices like hungry hounds, scuttling in unison.

Footsteps that would normally echo were masked by the soft terrain, a cloaked figure walking down the dark hall that led to the arena's balcony; the light seeped through the sandy corridor, his eyes adjusting to the warm glow of the Geonosian sunlight, brow furrowed in concentration as he approached the Count and his associates, mission in mind. Saber hilt held tightly in his hand, he approached the doorway without fear or hesitation.

Jango stood ready, helmet held tightly underneath his left arm, resting snugly betwixt his bicep, wrist and waist, awaiting any potential requests Dooku could have - when in an instant, a purple blade of light was pushed to his throat. Quick to react, Fett leaned back, shooting only an attentive glare to the bold man, still holding his weapon mere inches from his exposed neck. Boba felt his stomach churn at the sudden situation, fingers nervously fidgeting - he contemplated reaching for his father's holstered pistol, though was held back, Jango's hand planted over his chest, maintaining his son's distance for safety. Trusting his father's judgment, he remained still, though understandably on-edge. About half a head taller than himself, he exchanged brief eye-contact with the Jedi master holding him hostage, before Dooku turned to his old ally, disregarding the panicked banker and Geonosian ruler. In fact, he seemed quite pleased to be greeted by the intruder.

"Master Windu!" smiled the former pupil of Qui-Gon. "How pleasant of you to join us."

Windu did not return the Count's civility, a stern scowl on his face as he stood only an arms-length from the traitor. Mace had once held a respect for Dooku, now going by 'Tyranus'. He was a wise man, a noble Jedi, and a friend whom you could place much trust in. Clearly, however, this was no longer the case. The grip on his amethyst sword tightening, he spoke with conviction.

"This party is over."

Appearing as if from nowhere, a surplus of fellow Jedi reveal themselves, igniting their sabers in an almost harmonic unison. The hums and buzzes of their intricate weapons startle the fly-like species within the stands, skittish as they shriek their strange, guttural call. Many force-wielders rush to the center of the arena, rescuing the politician and Knight-Master pairing, tossed lightsabers to defend themselves, and make quick work of the Destroyers. The natives fill the air in a frantic frenzy, the majority fleeing the storied monument as Battle Droids quickly flood through the gates to oppose the Jedi forces. flanked by Super Battle Droids, they charge, opening fire upon the Republic forces, both sides engaged in an abrupt conflict.

Dooku does not even turn to face the gathering amassed below, giving a mere scoff at the revelation.

"Brave, but... Foolish, my old Jedi friend." He surmises, face ripe with condescension. "You're impossibly outnumbered."

Mace can't help but smile; Dooku always had an arrogance to him. At least that had remained unchanged. It quickly fades, continuing to face the Sith without fear.

"I don't think so."

"We shall see."

The regal Sith apprentice stood aside as Windu's attention is quickly diverted, heavy, metallic stomping echoed from the same hallway he had approached, the booming steps in-sync with one another. Marching into his line of view, four Super Battle Droids readied themselves to engage the high-ranking member of the Jedi council. Jango wasted no time either, taking advantage of the sudden distraction by narrowly weaving his way out of Windu's reach and promptly donning his helmet as he prepared to make his move. The Super's took position all four spewing bolts from their arms in their attempt to kill Mace; but he was a master for a reason. He deflected each and every bolt with a precision matched by few, saving himself a dozen times over in only a matter of seconds. Preying on the distraction, Jango gestured for his son to keep back, as he then grabbed a hold of his left wrist gauntlet, the device housing a flamethrower that looked to engulf the bold Jedi. Had the Vapaad innovator maintained his placement for even another fraction of a moment, he no doubt would have been reduced to a charred corpse, but his reflexes swiftly save him, leaping up and off the balcony; the intense heat clung to his robes, having scorched the very tail end of the ceremonial attire. What resembles a bead of sweat trickles down the side of Windu's head, landing on his feet amongst his peers before discarding the flowing, flaming garment.

Nute and his associates begin to scatter, hurriedly barging past the entourage of B2 Super's to get themselves to safety. Without so much as a goodbye, they scamper off, headed for the hanger to make their leave. Following suit, albeit with much less urgency, Poggle decides to evacuate, deeming himself too important to risk being so close to such a quarrel. He addresses Dooku, only briefly, before fluttering off to presumably the nearest hive. Perhaps they weren't unwise; Jango turns to his son as the gravity of the situation sets in, a very real danger present below.

"Boba, wait in the ship. I'll be right there." he commands, his genetically unaltered son nodding urgently as he rushes down the hall, squeezing past the bulky droids without trouble. Standing only a foot or so from his current employer, Jango waits, eyes scanning his surroundings, aided by his helmet's built-in radar. He stood ready, hand resting by his holster. 

Blaster bolts flew wildly across the land. Bodies, both of flesh and varying steels fell to the ground, lifeless. They were hardly skilled soldiers, but the droids did indeed hold the number advantage, soon coming at the Jedi from nearly every conceivable angle. Some few Jedi, however, maintained their positions amongst the stands, and proceeded to make quick work of any B1 droids encountered, and the sparse amount of arena security who stood their ground. One such Jedi, Master Coleman Trebor, noted Dooku's presence up high, and silently began his ascent, bounding from one vantage point to another, until making his way up to the Jedi turncoat. He flipped, landing gracefully beside the Count, green saber ignited as he prepared to make the arrest.

In the short moment it took for the Count to simply turn to face the Vurk Jedi, he was pleased to see Trebor struggling. Coleman narrowly deflected a shot from Jango's single remaining Westar 45., and even a second one... But as the old saying goes, 'third time's the charm' - the sheer knockback from the modified projectile catching him off-guard. A fourth shot is fired, and the Jedi isn't quick enough to regain his defensive composure, being hit square in the chest. Without any delay, the final fifth shot is fired, catching him in the heart; he topples over the balcony, already dead as he plummets towards the ground a limp statistic. Dooku gives a subtle nod of approval to Fett, admiring the nifty marksmanship displayed. Perhaps a celebratory act, Jango twirls his weapon of choice with skilled fingers, before housing it back in its leathery sheath. When you've survived this long in such a cold business, it's the small things that keep you entertained.

Behaved, dependable and wise beyond his years, Boba was considered by his father to be the perfect son... But, he was still a little boy. And boys will be boys - deviating just slightly from his dad's orders, the curious kid couldn't help but get a closer look at the ensuing battle, crouched down near a small grate for smaller creatures, leading to the oval itself. There was just something exciting about seeing such a large-scale assault this close, a feeling of adrenaline that couldn't be replicated at a safe distance. 

The Jedi continued to defend themselves from the Separatist ambush; however, the rampaging Reek did not make this any easier. The temperamental creature barging through members of both alliances with reckless abandon, rage only fuelled by the ensuing carnage around it. Eyeing both a purple and blue pair of lightsabers, the beast bellowed as it began another charge.

"We... should probably run." Kenobi suggests, Windu nodding in agreement as the scaly animal speeds up. With a startling sprint for such a hefty monster, it knocks Obi-Wan off his feet, sending him several feet away in a pained heap. Mace knew the brute-ish being was in hot pursuit, the ground seemingly trembling beneath his feet as it gained ground. He knew he could not outrun the approaching behemoth, not for long - stopping, he turns to face it, but it was closer than he had anticipated - he lands only a glancing blow as his chest is rammed with a foreleg. Halving one of its horns as it lunges onward, the beast cried out in pain as Windu staggered back to his feet, scanning the arena floor for his saber.

Jango knew how to pick his moments. Windu was far and away the most formidable warrior down below. He watched the skillful swordsman and the ease of which he practiced his craft. There was a simplicity to his advanced technique that Jango found refreshing, unlike many of the Jedi he had personally fought. No unnecessary spinning, twirling or exaggerated acrobatics; just a sharp mind and concise, impactful movements. By no means unable, Mace was perfectly capable of the flashy 'trickery' his fellow men and women displayed, but he felt no need - his mastery of the lightsaber was admirable, even to one who hates the Jedi and their ways. When noting the unhinged animal disarming Windu, Jango knew it was now or never. Springing into action, Fett took to the skies as his jetpack came to life, fire flowing from the pair of hoses attached to the bottom; he hovered above the action only for a brief moment as he planned his next move, deciding on a direct approach would be best for the unarmed foe. 

Landing with ease, dirt and sand flew from Jango's boots as he and Windu locked eyes once again. This time, on the field of battle. Staring daggers through the T-shaped visor of Fett's helmet, Windu sensed it. Anger. This was not a personal matter; but for whatever the reason may be, the man had an intense hatred for the Jedi as a whole. Of course, Jango would not identify this as anger - to him, it was simply drive. Motivation. He himself saw that in Windu's eyes... Or was it something more? He possessed an aggression none of his fellow warriors seemed to harness. He knew he would have to play this smart, take him more seriously than some lucky Knight or disgruntled Padawan. Both men looked to the floor, spotting the discarded saber at the same time. He reached for his holster, he could draw this very instant - but what is a Jedi without their blade? In a risky stunt, Jango leapt forward, arms reaching for the metallic hilt; the magnets embedded within his gloves vibrate, and the weapon draws near - but the Jedi's immense control of the force easily overpowers the tech as he retrieves his lightsaber from a safe distance.

Activating his trusted weapon, the vibrant purple blade extended as Mace sprinted forward towards the downed bounty hunter. Without even glancing, he deflected a rogue bolt shot at him, deflecting it right back at the shooter, the blast taking the droid's head clean off of it's scrawny body. He maintained a steady pace as he readied himself for any and all incoming gadgetry the infamous Fett could deploy; he knew his reputation. Jango Fett is never truly unarmed. Getting up to a knee, Fett clutched at his pistol, the handgun sliding seamlessly from his belt as he extended his arm forward... But using his free hand, the resourceful warrior dug through the sand, collecting a pile of dirt as he rose to his feet. Just before the Jedi Master could fully close the distance between him and his opponent, a handful of sand was flung into his eyes, the irritating cloud compromising his vision immediately. He staggered backward, his mind racing to calm itself, remain collected - he does not need vision when there is the force. Standing tall, he adopts a defensive stance as his eyes water and ache. If he can just fight through the pain, concentrate... Set to finish this, Fett takes aim, a clean headshot completely within his range! But at quite literally the worst possible moment, his peripheral vision catches a glimpse of the Reek barreling towards him.

A mighty roar rang through his helmet as the rabid creature rammed into Jango with all of its bodyweight. Quickly thrown to the floor, Fett found himself at the beast's mercy as Boba watched aghast not too far away. He couldn't help but audibly root for his father, even if he couldn't hear; he liked to think he could, anyway. The raging animal's feet only narrowly avoided crushing down on Jango's chest, the legendary man barely avoiding being crippled several time over. He maintained a tight grip on his pistol as he fought through the pain, sleek, streamlined armor coated in in dirt and grit as he was pushed along... But finally, the Reek runs over the downed warrior, giving him a moment to recoup. He rises to his feet with pained grunts, turning to face the habitual monster - his visor now cracked, exposing a single eye housing an intense focus - preparing himself for the kill. The uncontrollable, organic tank turned one last time to face the Fett, wiping its hind legs against the sand, hot air racing from its enlarged nostrils. Boba's heart pounded within his chest as the gargantuan creature rushed towards his everything... But with a single, steady shot through the head and a nimble dive, it crashes into the floor, lifeless now as Jango hobbled up once more to his feet with a weary sigh, the taste of blood in his mouth. Still, he had not forgotten his chosen adversary. He turned to where he had left off, the scowling Jedi able to see once more as he rushed forward.

A shot - deflected. A second shot - deflected again. A third, a fourth, each shot fired Windu parried perfectly without breaking his pace, gaining on the clone army template. Jango slowly retreated, facing the Jedi as he kept pulling the trigger to no ultimate affect. His jetpack activates... Only abruptly before shutting down, spluttering out sparks and smoke as Windu now closes the gap. A final shot is attempted, but it proves no use as it too is blocked with immaculate timing. An underhanded swing slices the handgun in two, before Mace goes for the killing blow. With a swift stroke, Jango Fett's rangefinder toppled to the ground as he ducked an intended decapitation by inches and nothing more. Another stroke of the violet blade, and another close-call as Fett weaved out of the way, one more time. The Jedi master attempts a final swing of his sword, with all his strength poured into the strike - his arm comes to a complete halt as durasteel spikes protruding from Fett's right gauntlet sink into his forearm, the Jedi's sleeve stained red as blood starts to seep from the wound. An agonizing howl forces itself through Windu's gritted teeth as he struggles to maintain grip on his hilt, using his free hand to send Fett flying backwards with a powerful force push.

Toppling across the ground, Fett's useless jetpack detached itself from his back, the bounty hunter crashing into a downed pillar. Earlier, it stood tall, intended to hold the prisoners in place. Now, it was nothing more than rubble as Jango found himself resting against it, propping his head up as his body struggles to rise. He had to get up. He could still make out the bright sword in the distance, even through somewhat blurry vision. He NEEDED to get up.

The wounded Jedi took his time to approach Jango, a visible fury behind his strikes to any droids unfortunate enough to get in his way. Seeing not only this, but witnessing his father's flirt with death several times over, the terrified boy ran as fast as his legs could carry him. All rational thought and any semblance of reasoning simply left him as he bolted towards the wounded warriors. He only barely maintained his balance as he leapt over the remains of CIS cannon fodder - only stopping to retrieve one of their heavy blasters. Out of breath, Boba pressed on with reckless abandon until finally arriving, throwing himself between his father and the powerful Jedi, blaster raised.

"STOP! JUST, JUST STAY BACK!" Boba barks, though he sounds more scared than angry. Mace only stares in confusion as the boy takes aim with an unsteady hand. "Look at you! What you're doing! My dad was right about you Jedi - you're all savages!"

What... What had things come to? Is this how far the political strife had gone? Mace prided himself on being a keeper of the peace -and yet here he was, weapon drawn against a man on his back. This wasn't right... and in his reluctance, a wily Jango takes aim - firing a dart between Windu's eyes. He collapses onto his back, his last breath escaping him as Boba drops the blaster, anxiety coursing though his body.

"Boba... Come." Jango, a tiredness to his voice. His son immediately complies, embracing his father in a tight hug as he looks back up to the balcony he came from. Taking aim, he   
launches his grappling hook up and around a nearby pillar. The heavy-duty, mechanized wire rappelling both Fett's up and to safety.

Dooku was not a heartless man. He saw the fear in Boba's eyes over his battered father, and only found it fair to dismiss him.

"Boba, I MEAN IT this time, back to the ship."

"You too may return to your vessel, Jango. Luring Kenobi, executing both Trebor and Windu - You've done more than enough... I will contact you when needed, I assure you."

Jango knew this was an act of mercy. Giving a nod of appreciation, he and his son return to the hanger, promptly taking off and leaving the desert wasteland in a hurry.

An hour had passed, and Jango finished bandaging his torso. His face was adorned with a few more cuts than usual. His helmet was left on the dashboard as Fett gave Boba a reprimanding.

"What you did was not only headstrong, irrational, exploitable, but you could have been killed!" He snaps through pained breaths, the young boy unable to look his father in the eyes. "Boba, hey... DESPITE that, what you did saved my life." he adds with a loving smile. "Thank you, son. C'mere." Jango tightly hugs his son, the pair in a tearful embrace.

"Dad... I knew you'd win, but... Please, try not to die to another Jedi."

"With you by my side? They don't stand a chance." Jango beams with pride, a proud Boba chuckling as he nuzzles up against his dad, an affectionate hand rustling through his curly hair.

**Author's Note:**

> Greetings, exalted ones.
> 
> I'm not gonna lie, I think the quality of this sadly began to slide off a bit towards the end, but I wanted to finish it regardless! I hope you get some enjoyment from it, and any feedback/criticism is always welcomed!


End file.
